Getting started

[Bear with me]

Hi,
I'm new to both gardening and using forums, hence the name "Bear with me". I have a question about starting a wildflower garden. I have alkaline soil, poor quality with blue Lias clay and a layer of sharp sand over the top. What could I add to make it slightly acidic? I read that a lot of native species prefer this.
If anyone can advise me, I would be grateful. Thank you.

[veggiechicken]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Of course we'll bear with you, don't worry.
Personally, I wouldn't try to adjust your soil but grow the wildflowers that like the conditions you have now. Look at what grows locally and start with those. If you have a specific must-grow wildflower that needs different conditions, you could dig a "planting pocket" (aka hole) and adjust the soil in that

Here are some ideas for flowers that like certain soil types. https://wildseed.co.uk/mixtures/view/7

[Chris11]

Used coffee grounds you can get for free from local coffee shops is worth considering.

Good thread here: https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...nds_66252.html

[burnie]

Welcome, it would help if we knew where you are and what aspect is your garden, sun and shade as well as latitude makes a difference as much as soil type.

[nickdub]

Good advice to start with grows wild naturally in your area - if you are unsure the local Council very often has someone who helps out on SSI's and Parks etc who would be able to advise you if you get in touch with them.

BTW don't forget some trees/shrubs often flower and are a good source of food for birds/insects eg hawthorn, elderberry.

[Chestnut]

Welcome. I also am fairly new to growing and forums, so have little experience to go on.
However, I Have found a couple of good ideas with a browse on the rhs plantfinder - you can filter the search by soil type, aspect etc so you don’t have to spend ages reading about plants which are not well suited to your area.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-form

[Bear with me]

Thank you all

Used coffee grounds you can get for free from local coffee shops is worth considering.

Good thread here: https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...nds_66252.html

Thank you all so much for the advice. Garden is south-facing and sheltered on all sides by houses. Rarely, we have settled snow this weekend, so garden on hold for moment while I hibernate. I will try out your suggestions.

[mothhawk]

Hi,
I'm new to both gardening and using forums, hence the name "Bear with me". I have a question about starting a wildflower garden. I have alkaline soil, poor quality with blue Lias clay and a layer of sharp sand over the top. What could I add to make it slightly acidic? I read that a lot of native species prefer this.
If anyone can advise me, I would be grateful. Thank you.

Welcome to the vine B-w-m. Read another book and it will tell you that a lot of native flowers like alkaline soil. VC is giving you good advice, grow the flowers that like the soil you have. Otherwise you will be constantly applying treatments to keep up the acidity, and the plants you grow will survive, but not flourish.

Here's a list of some flowers and grasses and what they prefer. As you can see, some are on both lists - they are the non-fussy ones that are happy anywhere.

Alkaline loving Birdsfoot Trefoil Burnet Saxifrage Cowslip Greater Knapweed Harebell Hoary Plantain Kidney Vetch Lesser Knapweed Meadow Buttercup Lady's Bedstraw Oxeye Daisy Salad Burnet Self Heal Small Scabious Wild Basil Wild Carrot Wild marjoram Yarrow Yellow Rattle Grasses Chewings Fescue Common Bent Crested Dogstail Sheeps Fescue Small-leaved Timothy Yellow Oat-grass

Acid loving Betony Birdsfoot Trefoil Common Vetch Cowslip Field Scabious Lady's Bedstraw Lesser Knapweed Meadow Buttercup Meadow Cranesbill Meadow Vetchling Musk Mallow Oxeye Daisy Ragged Robin Ribwort Plantain Self Heal Sorrel Yarrow Yellow Rattle Grasses Chewings Fescue Common Bent Crested Dogstail Meadow Fescue Meadow Foxtail Smooth Meadow Grass Sweet Vernal Grass Meadow Barley